Plaques honoring veterans to be placed at Pahrump VA clinic

The Pahrump VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) received a donation of six plaques, each bearing a seal from one of the five branches of the U.S. armed forces and prisoners of war, from the town of Pahrump on Saturday.

By Jeffrey Meehan Pahrump Valley Times

August 18, 2017 - 6:00 am

Jeffrey Meehan/Pahrump Valley Times
Former commissioner Frank Carbone (left), Dr. Maia Carter, chief of primary care at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (center-left), John Koenig, Army veteran Bernie Cusimano (center-right), and Nye County Commissioner, District II (right) met for an acceptance ceremony of several donated plaques by the town of Pahrump to honor veterans in the community and the nation. The plaques, each containing a seal from one of five branches of the U.S. armed forces and prisoners of war will be installed in the coming weeks above the check-in area at the clinic.

VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System
Dr. Maia Carter, chief of primary care at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (left), former commissioner Frank Carbone, John Koenig, Nye County Commission, District II and Army veteran Bernie Cusimano (right) hold the seals of the five branches of the U.S. armed forces and prisoners of war on Aug. 11, 2017 at the Pahrump VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic at 220 S. Lola Lane. The seals will be placed above the check-in area of the clinic to honor veterans in the local area and across the nation.

The Pahrump VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) received a donation of six plaques, each bearing a seal from one of the five branches of the U.S. armed forces and prisoners of war, from the town of Pahrump on Saturday.

“This is an honor for the veterans of Pahrump, and we really appreciate this,” said Dr. Maia Carter, chief of primary care at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System.

Carter was joined by John Koenig, Nye County Commission, District II, and former commissioner Frank Carbone, who is an Air Force veteran, for an acceptance ceremony at the Pahrump clinic at 220 S. Lola Lane on Aug. 11. The group was also joined by Army veteran Bernie Cusimano.

The symbols will be placed above the check-in area at Pahrump’s VA clinic in the coming weeks.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officials said the symbols will be placed in order of Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, which is mandatory.

Efforts to get the seals placed at the VA clinic has been a long process, according to Carbone.

Carbone said the suggestion to put the seals in the location were first suggested by Cusimano, and the entire process has been going on for about two years—which predates the building’s completion of construction in November 2016.

The plaques cost roughly $200 each, or a total of about $1,200, which came from the town of Pahrump’s general fund.

The placement has special meaning to veterans in the local area.

“It means that now they get to see what their symbols are that they fought for and fought with—the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force,” Carbone said. “It gives you a feeling of being here. This is my place now. We’re all part of the same group.”

“It’s for the veterans, and the veterans are going to take pride in looking what’s over there when they get put up,” Cusimano said.

Throughout the disruption and chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been everyday citizens doing incredible work to help their communities through these difficult times, giving countless hours and endless energy in the mission to keep people safe, healthy and connected and Nevada Health Response is striving to ensure those actions do not go unnoticed.

Pahrump Valley Youth Activities was nearly forced to forego its 2020 Summer Camp due to the COVID-19 pandemic but through a partnership with the NyE Communities Coalition, the beloved annual event has been saved and will now take place virtually, helping keep both participants and staff safe and healthy.

On Tuesday, June 2, the Nye County Commission held its first meeting with in-person public attendance since early March, when the governor declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak and issued an emergency directive banning gatherings of more than 10 people.

Leslie Street in the Pahrump Valley has a fresh new coat of asphalt, with paving of the 1-mile stretch between Irene Street and Basin Avenue concluding as of June 1. There is, however, still some finishing work to be done before the project is complete, tasks that, just as the prep work conducted before the paving was laid, will be handled by Nye County Public Works crews.

By continuing to browse or by clicking “I Accept Cookies” you agree to the storing of first-party and third-party cookies on your device. By agreeing to the use of cookies on our site, you direct us to disclose your personal information to our third party service providers for the purposes for which we collect your information.